Injured or diseased airway epithelium due to repeated environmental insults or genetic mutations can lead to a functional decline of the lung and incurable lung diseases. Bioengineered airway tissue constructs can facilitate in vitro investigation of human lung diseases and accelerate the development of effective therapeutics. Here, we report robust tissue manipulation modalities that allow: (i) selective removal of the endogenous epithelium of in vitro cultured airway tissues and (ii) spatially uniform distribution and prolonged cultivation of exogenous cells that are implanted topically onto the denuded airway lumen. Results obtained highlight that our approach to airway tissue manipulation can facilitate controlled removal of the airway epithelium and subsequent homogeneous distribution of newly implanted cells. This study can contribute to the creation of innovative tissue engineering methodologies that can facilitate the treatment of lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Keywords: bioreactor; cell replacement; hydrogel; imaging; lung disease; tissue-on-a-chip.